Core Meeting – 1st August 2012

Agenda

Ross, Events, Community, Finance, Energy, Transport, Food, General, AOB.

Ross

For those who aren’t already aware, Ross has stepped down from the Chair role after 5+ years of fantastic work in that role. He is continuing with various TT projects particularly on the food side, but feels it’s really time to create the space for others to take over with the various aspects of the Chair role [as many of us know, he has flagged this at each of the last three AGMs!]. A lot of of the core group discussion concerned where we go from here…

Roles

The majority of this month’s meeting focussed on Ross’ roles and responsibilities and how we can re-allocate them. The discussion was wide ranging. We generally felt that there were duties that were simple to distribute:

• Handling insurance renewals – Wendy (Treasurer)
• Liaising with external organisations and the press – Sub group leads
• Ensure compliance with legal obligations – Tim (Secretary)
• Fielding incoming emails, sending group email – Pat

Meetings

A role that prompted a lot of debate was that of meeting chair. We had already had emails from members suggesting a rotating chair. Although people like the idea of a consistent chair, we all accepted that we must be practical. We therefore decided on a rotating chair:

• Trevor kindly offered to be a regular minute taker to aid consistency
• At each meeting, we will decide on the next chair to give forewarning and time for preparation
• Agenda for each meeting will be sent to the chair by the minute taker
• To be reviewed at AGM

We also decided that our standing monthly agenda would be re-organised to put ‘Any New Ideas’ at the start, rather than AOB at the end. This section can be used to introduce new people and ideas so they don’t get lost at the end.

Next month’s chair will be Jim. Well volunteered Jim. Thanks also to Malcolm for chairing this month’s meeting at incredibly short notice!

Chair

We heard that the role of ‘Chair’ is integral to the TT Constitution, and that an individual must be sought for that position, at least until the AGM when our constitution could be amended. We had general concensus that this was the key position provided by Ross:

• Coordinating the sub-groups
• Welcoming new members
• Main point of contact for general enquiries

And at last someone said it… Richard asked Gillian if she would be the Chair of Transition Tynedale…  And Gillian said yes!!!

So well done Gillian, we’ll try to alleviate the pressures of office, but I’m sure we all agree, you’ll do a great job.

Venue

Finally we agreed to stay with the venue as Prospect House.

Events

Farmers’ Market

The next scheduled farmers’ market for TT is 11th August, but Debbie cannot make this. Debbie proposed a change to 25th August. If you’d like to help out on the day, contact Debbie direct or email info@transitiontynedale.org

Matt Wells

Debbie proposed that we run a stall at the Matt Wells Jubilee Sprint Regatta & Family Fun Day on 18th August, 11:00 to 17:00. If you’d like to help out on the day, contact Debbie direct or email info@transitiontynedale.org

Risk Assessment

Debbie enquired as to what we should be doing in terms of Risk Assessments for all our public events. Richard assured us that a Risk Assessment is not an onerous activity. Richard took an action to pass on a proforma that we can use on all future events.

Community

Hexham Town Plan

A new face at the core meetings (sorry, forgot the name) enquired as to TT’s contribution to the Hexham Town Plan. He was assured that many TT members were actively participating. If you would like to be more active in the Town Plan groups, please contact Councillor Judy Lloyd using the form [here] or phone 01434 606293.

Local Development Framework

Richard highlighted that Northumberland County Council is due to end itspublic consultation on the Local Development Framework on 15th August. If you are not aware of this framework, it is the policy by which all planning decisions will be made within Northumberland for the next 20 years. NOW is your chance to make your opinion heard and HERE is where you can do it.

We realise this is very short notice, but please take some time to look at the plan and give your feedback. The plan is divided into logical headings, so you should be able to find out what is important to you.

Finance

Community Chest grant

Good news, we’ve had a successful grant application with the community chest to the sum of £1600. This money is all ear-marked for worthwhile projects, and transition resources. It’s great to see our local community funders supporting our actions.

Energy

Dukes House Wood

Jim presented on the sale of Dukes wood, a local amenity that people of Tynedale have enjoyed for many years. Jim has proposed that Transition Tynedale take this on as a project to try and purchase the woodland as a community project. At the forefront of the proposal is to the need to preserve local access to the woods, but we could also take advantage of this fantastic resource to develop sustainable, green businesses, such as green woodworking, outwards bounds, wood fuel.

Jim proposed that we engage with the press and try to engage the local population. Gillian urged Jim to use the press to try and recruit people willing to help on the project as this would no doubt be another large undertaking for Transition Tynedale.

Energy Group

No further updates, but a meeting will be announced in the near future.

Hydro

Gillian announced that there will be presentation of the detailed feasibility report for Hexham River Hydro on 21st August, 18:30 to 20:00 at Hexham Community Church. All Transition Tynedale members are invited, as are members of the Town Council and Hexham Community Partnerships. This is a formal presentation, and so prompt attendance would be appreciated.

Transport

Car club

Susannah confirmed that we will be having an Electric Car at the TT Farmers’ Market on 8th September. People interested in joining the car club should be able to take the car for a test drive!

Food

The Community Garden at Hexham Middle School is going well. Lots of strawberries and broad beans ripe for harvest. The new regular date for HMS gardening days will now be the 3rd Saturday of every month, to avoid clashes with the Farmers’ Market.

General

Website

Pat asked that we officially relegate the old Joomla site and replace it with the new WordPress blog sit (this one). General consensus to that, so we will started transferring the older articles across and then change the www address to point to WordPress.

Sponsorship

We have had confirmation from the Green Energy Centre that tyhey would like to sponsor the website for a further year.

AOB

Love Your Bike II

Richard is to start organising a follow-up event to the successful ‘love your bike’ cycle maintenance day.

Polly Higgins

Rakesh announced that he has organised for Polly Higgins to come to the Star and Shadow to talk about eradicating ecocide on 9th October 2012 from 17:45 – 20:00.